Automatic film rewind switch



0d. 3', 1944. FRIED 2,359,724

AUTOMATIC FILM REWIND SWITCH Filed Jan. 21, 1942 INV ENT OR'.

BY JACKIE FR|ED Patented Oct. 3, 1944 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE AUTOMATIC FILM REWIND SWITCH Jacob Fried, Lakewood, Ohio Application January 21, 1942, Serial No. 427,585

(Cl. 20G- 52) 10 Claims.

This invention relates to circuit breakers and particularly to electric switches which operate automatic nlm rewinding apparatus.

The primary object of this invention is to provide an automatically operable switch which will function immediately upon the emptying of a reel of moving picture film or which may be adjusted to stop the rewinding apparatus at any predetermined point before the unwinding reel is completely emptied.

Another object is to provide a device of the type mentioned which is easy to install, which occupies relatively little space and which may be set by the operator rapidly and without the necessity of frequent readjustments.

Further object is to provide a device of this nature which will not injure or scratch the film contacting it and which is fire-proof and perfectly safe to use.

These and other objects and features of the invention will become apparent from a reading of the following description and claims together with the accompanying drawing in which like parts are designated by like reference characters and wherein:

Figure 1 is a view of the instant invention associated with a film reel rewinding apparatus;

Figure 2. is a vertical sectional view partly in section of the instant invention taken along the line and in the direction of the arrows 2-2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a vertical sectional view of the device taken substantially along the line and in the direction of the arrows 3-3 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a view similar to that of Figure 2 showing the switch in the olf or alternate position; and

Figure 5 is a View of a lever member partly in section showing the construction and location of a certain pawl or click portion thereon.

Referring to the Figure 1 of the drawing, there is shown a device 20 embodying the novel features of the invention and associated with a reel I2 having an unwinding lm |I thereon. The reel I2 is mounted on a vertical support I4 which in turn is fastened to the common base 25. The unwinding film Il is wound onto the reel I3 which is also mounted on a similar support |4 and in line with the reel I2. The motor I5 has a conventional drive belt I'l connected to it and which operates the reel I3 as shown. The electric conduits I6 which are connected to the motor I5 are shown running to the line or source of electric current and also to the circuit breaker 20.

The circuit breaker 20 consists primarily of four parts: rst, the case or support; second, the toggle switch; third, the toggle switch operatingT lever mechanism and fourth, the control shaft and its related members. Each of these parts will be described in detail hereinafter and in the order just set forth.

The case member is simply a metal box which has a bottom portion 2| mounted on the common base 25 by means of the screws 26. Above the bottom portion 2| and spaced therefrom there is a cover or a top portion 22 which is supported by the front wall 23 and rear wall 24. Side walls 2l completely enclose the case described, so as to protect the inside operating mechanism and to prevent possible electric sparks from setting re to the film.

The toggle switch 3l is of a conventional type and is rigidly mounted on the base 2| by means of the screws 36 and is rmly attached to the rear wall 24 by means of the bracket 35. The toggle switch 3| has two terminals or connectors 32 and 32a mounted on each side thereof for engaging the conduits I6 and has a movable mei tallic pole or portion 33 which electrically coniswitch operating lever 4| is mounted on the rear wall 24 of the case a short distance above the toggle switch 3| and extends thereover. The arm 4I is pivoted on the bracket 42 by means of the horizontal pin .or bolt 43. The expansion spring 44, which is mounted on the bolt 43, tends to raise the lever 4| sufliciently to cause the arm 34, with which it comes in contact, to be substantially vertical and to permit the opening ci the toggle switch. The movable end of the arm h 4I has a pawl or detent 45 which is also referred to herein as a click portion. The small click portion is pivotally mounted on the arm 4| by the pin 46, and is depressed and retained in its.I normal substantially horizontal position by the contraction spring 4l. The bottom portion of the lever 4| is made slightly concave to cause the curved arm 34 of the toggle switch to smoothly and easily be engaged therewith.

Immediately above the lever 4| and in contact with the top edge thereof is the lower end of the Vertical plunger 5I which extends through the top portion 22 of the case. The top of the plunger I is provided with a knob 52 which facilitates the manual operation of the plunger by the operator. In the drawing, character 53 indicates a conventional collar which is mounted on the top portion 22 for receiving and guiding the plunger 5I. When the knob 52 is pressed, the toggle switch 3I is closed, and when released, the tension spring 44 releases or permits the switch to be opened.

The horizontal shaft member 6I projects through the opening 28 in the front wall 23 of the case, extends inside the case to the rear wall 24, over the toggle switch and to the side of the lever 4I Mounted on the shaft 6I and extending radially therefrom is a finger or trip 62, the outer end of which engages the click 45 in the manner shown. The portion of the shaft 6I which is outside of the case 2!) has a diametric hole 69 therein through which the shaft 65 extends. The shaft 65 has an end portion 65 which is slightly flattened so that when the arm 65 is in the hole 69 and firmly secured therein by means of the knurled nut 63 and washer 64, the shaft 65 will not rotate or slide. The attened portion 66 on the shaft 65 is of sufcient length so that the shaft 65 can be quickly and easily positioned as desired to correspond with the timing of the device. In the Figure 4, the reference character 65a indicates the alternate position of the arm when the arm is shortened. The movable end of the arm 65 is provided with a bifurcated holder 6l. upon which the rubber roller 63 is mounted.

In operation, the device is set up and associated with the unwinding film as illustrated in the Figure 1. The knurled nut 63 is loosenedso that the shaft 65 may be moved in or out and so that the roller 68 is Ipositioned immediately below the lowest portion of the coiled film II. The plunger 5I is depressed so that the bevelled portion 48 of the click 45 passes the trip 62 and the lever 4I is, therefore, held down as shown in the Figure 2. This immediately closes the electric circuit and starts the motor I5 which in turn causes the film II to be wound on the reel I3. As the lm II rewinds on the reel I3, the arm 65 raises and permits the lever 4I to also raise with it. At a predetermined set point, the toggle arm 34 opens the switch and stops the motor I5. The upward movement of the arm 65 is due to the lever 4I which under the tension of its spring 44 presses against the finger 52. Thus the lever serves not only to close the circuit breaker, but to also actuate the shaft 6I and thereby move and hold its iilm engaging varm 65 in iilmengaging position.

If the arm 65 is brought in contact with the film II on the reel I2 at its lowest point as just mentioned, then the device will automatically shut off when the reel is completely emptied. If it is desired to stop the rewinding operation before the reel is entirely emptied, then the arm 65 may be shortened so that the roller 68 will more quickly reach the shut olf position. This position, too, will be reached while someof the lm is still on the reel.

One of the advantages that this device has over other similar devices is that it permits the apparatus and the nlm to be completely positioned and mounted and ready for rewinding before the switch is closed. All the operator need do thereafter is to simply depress the plunger 5I sufficiently to cause the arm 4I to be below the trip 62, which movement automatically closes the switch 3|.

While the invention has been disclosed in its preferred form, it is to be understood that the embodiment of the invention as described and illustrated herein is not to be considered in a limited sense as there are many other forms, modifications or uses of the invention which may also be considered as being within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a lm reel unwinding device, a circuit breaker, comprising in combination, a supp-ort member including a bottom, a top and front and rear end portions therebetween, a switch member including electric conductors for the said circuit mounted on the bottom and adjacent to the rear end portions, a lever member pivoted at one end to the rear end portion and operatively engageable with the switch member, the said lever member having a pivoted click portion on the free end thereof, and a turnable shaft mounted on the said front end portion, the said shaft having a trip portion thereon engageable with the said click portion and an arm portion engageable with the said film.

2. A device of the type defined in claim l and further characterized by the said arm portion being extendable radially from the said shaft.

3. In a lm reel device, a casing, a circuit breaker in the casing having an operating element, a tensioned lever pivoted at one end to the casing and in one position engageable with said element for actuating same thereby to close the circuit breaker, a detent pivoted to the opposite end of the lever, a rotatable shaft carried bythe casing and co-eXtensive with the lever and having means to engage the iilm, a radial linger carried by the shaft and engageable with the detent and upon engagement therewith to effect movement of the shaft through the tension of the lever to cause the said means of the shaft to engage the nlm, and manually operated means carried by the casing to actuate the lever to cause the latter to effect closing of the circuit breaker and simultaneously cause operation of the shaft to move said means of the shaft into engagement with the film.

4. In a film reel device, a casing, a circuit breaker in .the casing having an operating. element, a tensioned lever pivoted at one end to the casing and in one position engageable with said element for actuating same, a detent pivoted to `the opposite end of the lever, a rotatable shaft carried by the casing and having means to engage the film, means carried by the shaft and engageable with :the detent and upon engagement therewith to effect movement of the shaft to cause Ithe said film-engaging means thereof to contact the iilm, and manually operated means carried by the casing to actuate the 1ever to cause the latter to effect closing. of the circuit breaker and simultaneously cause operation of the shaft to move said film engaging means of the shaft into contact with the nlm.

5. In a film reel device, a casing, a circuit breaker in the casing having an operating element, a tensioned lever pivoted at one end to the casing and in one position engageable with said element for actuating same, a detent pivoted to the opposite end of the lever, a rotatable member carried by the casing and having means to engage the film, means carried by said member and engageable with the detent and upon engagement therewith to effect movement of the member to cause the said means thereof to engage the film, and manually operated means carried by the casing to actuate the lever to cause the latter to effect closing of the circuit breaker and simultaneously cause operation of the member to move said means thereof into engagement with the film.

6. In a. nlm reel device, a support, a circuit breaker connected to the support and having an operating element, tensioned means connected to the support and in one position engageable with said element for actuating same, rotatable means carried by the support and having means to engage the film, means carried bysaid rotatable means to effect actuation thereof upon engagement with and lby said tensioned means to effect movement of the rotatable means to cause the said lm engaging means thereof to contact the film, and manually operated means carried by the support to actuate the tensioned means to cause the latter to effect closing of the circuit breaker and simultaneously cause operation of the rotatable means to move the film-engaging means thereof to engage and hold same in engagement 'with the film. '7. A film reel device in accordance with claim 6, wherein the film-engaging means is adjustable to effect predetermined closing of the circuit breaker, and wherein there is means to hold the film engaging means in adjusted position,

8. In a film reel device, a casing, a circuit breaker in the casing having operating means, a tensioned lever connected to the casing and in one position engageable with said means for actuating same, a detent carried by .the lever, a rotatable shaft carried by the casing and having means to engage the film, an element carried by the shaft and engageable with the detent and upon engagement therewith to effect movement of the shaft to cause the said means thereof to engage the iilm, and manually operated means carried Iby the casing to actuate lthe lever to cause the latter to effect closing of the circuit breaker and simultaneously cause operation of the shaft to move said means of the shaft into engagement with the lm.

9. In a lm reel unwinding device, a circuit breaker, comprising in combination, a case member, a switch member including electric conductors for said circuit mounted in the case member, a shaft rotatably carried by said case member having one of its ends disposed within the case member and having its opposite end disposed exteriorly thereof, a radially extending fixed arm mounted upon the first-named end of the shaft, a second arm mounted upon said opposite end of the shaft and diametrically adjustable Nvith respect thereto, means to hold the second arm in predetermined selected positions with respect to said shaft, and a switch actuating device Within said case member including a pivoted lever engageable with said radially extending fixed arm when the switch memlber is in circuit closing position only.

10. In a film reel unwinding device, a circuit breaker, comprising in combination, a case member, a switch member includingI electric conductors for said circuit mounted in the case member, said switch member being normally ybiased to open position, a movable trigger member carried by the case adapted to engage and move the switch to closed position against the ibiasing of the latter, a rotatable shaft, -means on the shaft to engage and hold the trigger member and thereby the switch in closed position when said shaft is rotated in one direction and to move out 0f the path of the trigger member so that the switch can be moved to open position when the shaft is rotated in the opposite direction, andan arm carriediby the shaft and engageable With the film being unwound for controlling the movement of the trigger engaging means, the trigger, and thereby the switch member.

JACOB FRIED. 

